A nice little lecture on morality

Road to Revenge: A Stripper’s Story: The Garbage Collector Series, Book 10 (Unabridged)

Author: Justice Gray Date: 2015 Narrator: JP Braukus Provider: Reality Today Forum Incorporated Running Time: 5 h 04 min Audible Enhanced Audio The 10th book in the Garbage Collector Series! Cheri was a stripper, when she met her husband, Spike. Spike was a biker and a customer at the strip joint where Cheri worked. She got pregnant soon after they met, and she convinced him to marry her. Cheri quit being a stripper, but Spike didn’t quit going to the strip clubs. Their marriage lasted for a few years, but after the son they had together died in a horrible accident, things began to fall apart, and Spike got into gambling, Spike was never the same; things were never the same. After maxing out credit cards, and then losing their home, Cheri filed for divorce and moved away. After the divorce, Cheri was going to move out of state with her daughter, Megan, to begin a new life. Being homeless they ended up sleeping at the side of the road, and were abducted, but after some struggles and a couple days later, got away. After that, Cheri was able to get help for herself and her daughter, and eventually started working at a local truck stop café as a waitress, where Cheri met Jim. Cheri soon moved in with Jim, but while she was off working, Jim was after Megan, who was a good looking young teenager, wanting to be her pimp. The money attracted Megan and she ended up being a teenage hooker. When Cheri found out, she was furious with Jim and with Megan. Megan ran away, Cheri became sick with grief, which made life miserable for Jim and for her. Oftentimes, she would not get out of bed, and refused to do anything. Suddenly Cheri passed away, and Jim was suspected of drugging her, although it couldn’t be proven, as Jim was quite clever in covering his tracks. The body was cremated almost immediately, so an autopsy was never done. Megan got word of her mother’s death, and so plotted revenge against Jim, changing her appearance, and…. Justice warns that you should be cautious of who you spend your time with.

 

While both the writing and the narration of this book were competent, the characters were one dimensional, shallow, predictable and fairly uninteresting.  In addition, there was nothing either original or unique in this plot.  In fact, it could have come entirely from any number of TV soap operas.

 

This wasn’t a bad book, but neither was it particularly good, because its message was entirely too blatant, its plot elements were too trite and stereotypical, and its characters were too clichéd and one dimensional. Frankly, this book read more like a morals lecture for pre teens than a novel.

 

I received this book in exchange for this unbiased review via the courtesy of Audiobookblast dot Com.

Fire and Ice

Tipping Point: Action-Adventure Thriller (Unabridged)

Author: Simon Rosser Date: 2015 Narrator: Chris MacDonnell Provider: Simon Rosser/Schmall World Publishing Running Time: 15 h 33 min Audible Enhanced Audio In 1903, the Arctic’s fabled Northwest Passage is navigated for the first time. In 2012, an eminent climatologist is found dead in his London apartment. For Robert Spire, an environmental lawyer, what seems like a standard executor’s appointment in his client’s will turns out to be anything but, as he is thrust into an international conspiracy involving a plan to push the Arctic to its tipping point and the world to disaster…. Tipping Point is a fast-paced, climate-fiction action thriller with a perfect blend of action, suspense, adventure, and thrills to keep you listening until the very end. Two dead climatologists… When eminent climatologist Dr. Dale Stanton – in the process of studying the Atlantic Ocean’s thermohaline circulation – is found dead in his London apartment, environmental lawyer Robert Spire is given the task of administering a large legacy left to global warming organizations. The job is straightforward until a second climatologist, Dr. Jack Bannister, drops dead on the other side of the Atlantic. An international conspiracy… Spire’s client – suspicious of her son’s death – asks him to travel to San Francisco to investigate Dr. Jack Bannister’s death. While there, he meets French climatology professor Francois Trimaud, who is working on a geoengineering project to seed the Arctic Ocean with an experimental substance – the aim to prevent, or at least slow, the Arctic’s melting ice. Spire soon discovers that someone has other plans for the region and wants the climatologists dead at all costs. A looming ecological disaster… As evidence of increased glacial melt in Greenland and reduction in the Arctic ice mounts, Spire becomes determined to join Trimaud on the research vessel Mercure Blanc, on a joint US/French expedition to the Arctic. He soon finds, however, that the lives of all onboard are in peril….

 

Although there is plenty of action in this book, murder, mayhem, International conspiracy at its most Byzantine, and semi-natural disasters, this book provides fascinating insight into some crucial issues dealing with the effects of global warming, and what could happen with the melting of Polar ice.  While the hero isn’t a law enforcement officer, he also isn’t the usual “innocent who stumbles into danger” either.  He has, as we learn early in the book, had over 14 years of Martial Arts training, and, as an environmental lawyer, he is familiar with these issues, as well.

 

While eminently instructive, this is high test fiction, and the author weaves fact and story together in ways that make the factual material an integral part of the thriller fiction.

 

The narrator gave an extremely professional performance.  Though his style is low key, that quiet, sometimes almost casual narration highlights the relentless action and the violence of the conspirators.

 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review via the courtesy of Audiobookblast dot com.

A Matter of inheritance

God save the Queen! DB 47615

Cannell, Dorothy. Reading time 8 hours, 19 minutes. Read by Mitzi Friedlander. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress. Subjects: Humor ; Mystery and Detective Stories Description: Sir Henry Gossinger’s only heir, Vivian, is not interested in Gossinger Hall. So he has decided to leave the mansion to his butler, Hutchins–an act that will right an old wrong done by his Gossinger ancestors. But then Hutchins is murdered. Vivian and Hutchins’ granddaughter uncover other family secrets while searching for the killer.

This is an absolutely charming, gently humorous cozy mystery, and it is classic in its construction.  Cozy mysteries have become popular, but all too many of them depend on what I call “hooks” for their primary appeal, and all too often, the mysteries are not well constructed, no matter the lure of everything from gourmet cooking to dog breeding and showing to crossword puzzle construction.

 

There are rules for a good cozy mystery, and this author follows all of them.  The result is a mystery that is as delicately and intricately constructed as a piece of the finest needle lace.  Each element of the story, even the seemingly trivial incidents, dialog and descriptions have a definite place in the story, and such trivial things, when explained, help to resolve the puzzle.  Each element interacts with, and is interdependent on, every other, and observing the way the author has shaped her mystery is more than half the fun of reading it.

 

Add to this a cast of delightful and often quirky characters, an easy, sometimes slightly old fashioned writing style, and the narration of Mitzi Friedlander, and the result is a treat that melts on the mind like the very best meringue.  I highly recommend this book to just about anyone.  Oh, and the romance is handled with grace and delicacy, too!

 

 

Perchance to dream

Cat in the Flock: Dreamslippers Volume 1 (Unabridged)

Author: Lisa Brunette Date: 2015 Narrator: Angel Clark Provider: Sky Harbor LLC Running Time: 7 h 49 min Audible Enhanced Audio For most people, dreams are a way to escape reality. But for Cat McCormick, they’re a way to get closer to the truth. Cat can slip into other people’s dreams. After graduating college with a degree in criminal justice but little in the way of real-life experience, Cat moves from the Midwest to Seattle to apprentice with her Granny Grace, who shares the ability. Granny uses dreamslipping as a private investigator, and Cat plans to follow in her footsteps. But forced to take work as a security guard, Cat discovers a mother and daughter on the run. Following the clues, she goes undercover in a Midwestern megachurch, where she finds redemption and goodwill amidst repression, hypocrisy, and murder.

 

It seems that we are seeing more and more books that merge genres.  I have read several mysteries with touches of the paranormal, some of which have been enhanced by the combination, some of which haven’t.  The author combines the paranormal elements with the mystery in natural and unforced ways that make this book a treat for people who like both genres. 

 

The author intertwines the mystery, the personal story of Cat and her family, and her romances seamlessly, with no one theme detracting from any of the others.  She writes with a light touch, and can express both humor and tragedy with understanding and sensitivity.  I, for one, hope to see more of this series, since the premise, and the exposition of that premise both work for me, and work very well.

 

The narrator provided a fully professional performance.

 

I received this book in exchange for this unbiased review via the courtesy of AudioBookBlast dot com.

fruit of the poisonous tree

Blind Rage: A True Story of Sin, Sex, and Murder in a Small Arkansas Town (Unabridged)

Author: Anita Paddock Date: 2015 Narrator: Kevin Pierce Provider: Pen-L Publishing Running Time: 3 h 55 min Audible Enhanced Audio When Ruie Ann Park – a pillar of the Van Buren, Arkansas, community – was found beaten to death and lying in a pool of blood in her home, the police and local residents assumed her son was the murderer. But the years would uncover a more sinister story. Up till that night, the Park family seemed to have it all. For 50 years, they owned and published The Press Argus newspaper. Hugh was well-connected politically and his wife, Ruie Ann, was the local historian, journalist, and teacher. They had a brilliant son and a shy adopted daughter. They built a beautiful home on top of Logtown Hill with a vista overlooking the Arkansas River, but their idyllic life ended with divorce. Ruie Ann stayed in the home, becoming bitterer and more demanding of the daughter who couldn’t match up to her beloved son. The son, Sam Hugh, had a promising legal career but his fondness for young boys, alcohol, and drugs doomed what should have been a successful law practice in his hometown. The daughter, Linda, graduated from college, married an attorney, and moved away to a small town near Little Rock. The police were baffled. Who was smart enough to hide all evidence and pass the lie-detector test? And who would want to bludgeon this mother to death?

 

This is excellent true crime reporting, but it is also, (and this is what sets this book apart) the story of the repercussions on the children of an entirely dysfunctional family.  The author presents the stories of these now adult children along with the events surrounding their mother’s death with care, intelligence, compassion and sensitivity, thus making this a truly excellent book.

 

Keven Pierce gave his usual impeccable performance, as expected, since he is absolutely perfect for this kind of nonfiction.

 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review via the courtesy of AudioBookBlast dot com.

 

A really BAD body day

Death and White Diamonds (Unabridged)

Author: Jeff Markowitz Date: 2015 Narrator: Foster Cooper Provider: Intrigue Publishing, LLC Running Time: 6 h 05 min Audible Enhanced Audio Did you ever have one of those days? You know the kind when nothing seems to go right? Richie’s girlfriend suggests a romantic getaway, promising him a weekend he will never forget. So why can’t he remember what happened when he finds her lifeless body on the beach? Richie is fairly certain he didn’t kill his girlfriend, but his memory is hazy. One thing, however, is clear. When Lorraine’s body is found, he’s going to be the prime suspect in a murder investigation. If her body is found. Disposing of the body turns out to be harder than Richie could have imagined. Losing it, however, is easy. Did you ever have one of those days? And we haven’t even gotten to the bad part yet. 

This is one of the best books with some of the nastiest main characters I’ve read in a long time.  If you are looking for sympathetic characters, don’t look here!  But the author tells the story from both sides, the criminals (and there a whole slew of them) and the police, and never misses a step.  Watching the police untangle this snarl was the most enjoyable part of this book for me.  The writing is very good, with the occasional stunning image or turn of phrase, and the characters are excellently developed, and stay true to type (the main character is essentially one of the most irresponsible, self-indulgent, self-absorbed characters who have ever had temporary residence in my mind, and when I finished the book, I felt like I needed a thorough mind cleansing.  In other words, whatever you think of the characters, the author presented them in ways that worked, if only (thank all that’s wonderful) in fiction.

 

The narrator has a very pleasing reading voice, and gave a professional performance, though there were a few mispronunciations and at least one repeated phrase, so I hope that this fine small press gives more attention to the technical aspects of narration.

 

I received this book in exchange for this unbiased review via the kind courtesy of the publisher.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (unaughorized Version

Crane (Legends Saga Book 1) (Unabridged)

Author: Stacey Rourke Date: 2015 Narrator: Karen Krause Provider: Anchor Group Publishing Running Time: 8 h 15 min Audible Enhanced Audio The Horseman is unending, his presence shan’t lessen. If you break the curse, you become the legend. Washington Irving and Rip Van Winkle had no choice but to cover up the deadly truth behind Ichabod Crane’s disappearance. Centuries later, a Crane returns to Sleepy Hollow awakening macabre secrets once believed to be buried deep. What if the monster that spawned the legend lived within you? Now, Ireland Crane, reeling from a break-up and seeking a fresh start, must rely on the newly awakened Rip Van Winkle to discover the key to channeling the darkness swirling within her. Bodies are piling high and Ireland is the only one that can save Sleepy Hollow by embracing her own damning curse. But is anyone truly safe when the Horseman rides?

I have come to think of this fantasy as the “unauthorized version of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, but, of course, it is far more.  The author takes that legend as her inspiration, redesigns, expands and retells it, giving the story a whole new perspective.

 

She gives us familiar characters, but she redraws them, giving them strong personalities and deep complexity.  She also links the legend with the 21^st century, without breaking its link to the 18^th century, and she does all this with excellent writing and a deftness of touch and detail that make this an absolutely delightful read.  Her sense of fantasy is sometimes very dark, yet, beneath that darkness, there is a more profound expression of, and testament to, the things that make life worth the living: friendship, love, joy and hope.  Though there is humor here, too, there is no flippancy, and, in the end, I, as a reader, had to take this book seriously, and recognize its thoughtfulness while enjoying the fantasy.

 

The narrator gave an adequate and creditable performance.  I received this book in exchange for this unbiased review via the courtesy of AudioBookBlast dot com.

Laid out and Candle Lit

Laid Out and Candle Lit: Tizzy/Ridge Trilogy, Book 1 (Unabridged)

Author: Ann Everett Date: 2015 Narrator: Margo Trueblood Provider: Ann Everett Running Time: 6 h 19 min Audible Enhanced Audio Tizzy Donovan is having a run of bad luck. A bakery delivery gone wrong. A bar fight with an old classmate. And the discovery of a dead body in the cemetery. Texas Ranger Ridge Cooper’s luck isn’t much better. He’s finally gotten his first solo case, and it’s in the Podunk town of Brownsboro, Texas. But when

he meets local beauty, Tizzy, he thinks his luck is about to change – until she becomes the prime suspect in his case!

 

This is another very nice cozy mystery, this time set in Texas, with just a bit of the paranormal added to spice things up a bit.  The mystery itself is well  constructed, and kept me guessing through most of the book. Tthe author was careful to place her clues and red herrings where they would do the most good.

 

The characters were also nicely developed, and were both interesting and believable.   Very young children are tricky to write, but this author managed her little girl with sensitivity and charm.  While the main romance had more angst than I prefer, it was, for the most part, also believable and sometimes delightful.

 

The book was well written, and I especially appreciated the author’s humor, which kept this romantic slightly paranormal mystery from taking itself too seriously.  A good cozy is pure mind candy, and a *really* good cozy has just enough spice of complexity to keep a reader interested, and this one did.

 

The narrator gave a fully professional performance in all ways, and if her Texas accent isn’t natural to her, then her management of accents is superb.

 

I received this book in exchange for this unbiased review via the courtesy of AudioBookBlast dot com.

the joys of house renting …

Broke: An Imogene Duckworthy Mystery (Unabridged)

Author: Kaye George Date: 2015 Narrator: Veronica Newton Provider: Kaye George Running Time: 7 h 11 min Audible Enhanced Audio Imogene Duckworthy, eager PI assistant, wants to be on her own. She finds a rental house where her four-year-old daughter, Nancy Drew Duckworthy, and Drew’s pet pig, Marshmallow, are allowed. The rumors are that the house is haunted. It’s no rumor there’s a dead man in the bathtub when she inspects the house, though. A long-lost relative is the logical suspect, but can Immy let her Uncle Dewey be railroaded for a crime he, possibly, didn’t commit?

 

This is one of those light cozy mysteries where the everyday life of the characters is almost as important as the crime being solved, and where setting is as important to its enjoyment as are events. The mystery itself was competently constructed, and contained some nice twists and a few surprises, though only a little real suspense.

What bothered me about this book, however, were the characters. I can understand young, naïve and eager, but the heroine of this book often was also inept and clueless, and her eagerness was over the top.  I prefer my heroines smarter, more observant, and more competent in all respects.  This one missed clues that were so obvious they practically smacked her in the face.

While I did enjoy some of the other characters, most were so overdrawn that they became annoying; the heroine’s mother being a perfect example. Her use of language, which was no doubt intended to make her quirky and unique was just so unbelievable that it rang entirely false.  No one talks like that,  not even a well read librarian.

Few authors can create good child characters. The child in this book was fairly well done, and the relationships between the little girl, her mother and her grandmother were credible and sometimes charming.  I must say that, in many ways, the most enjoyable character in this book was the pig.

The narrator gave a competent performance, and while I sometimes found her presentation of characters a little strained, she did have good expression, pronunciation and speech rate.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review via the courtesy of AudioBookBlast dot com.

A family tale

Hell on Heels!: She’s the Devils Daughter Looking to Collect! (Unabridged)

Author: Michael Uva Date: 2015 Narrator: Rhiannon Angell Provider: MICHAEL G. UVA Running Time: 2 h 35 min Audible Enhanced Audio If you think the Devil is evil, try dealing with his progeny! Lilith, the oldest of the brood, has been sent on a mission of extreme importance to Satan. If she fails, her birthright will be given up to Alona, her little sister. She has one chance to show her mettle. In her case, that usually comes in the form of stiletto-spiked high heel shoes! You see, she’s a zealous Fashionista! Yes, she’s coming to get you… one way or another! There’s no one that can stop her, except Bruce… The Angel of Death! Who is about to retire!

 

Once I got used to how this book is written, I had a grand time with it.  The author sets it up to read like a play or movie, with scene, staging and production notes.  The only thing that seems to be missing are camera instructions.  I found that style a little confusing, at first, but adapted to it quickly enough to appreciate the qualities of the story.

 

This long short story, or short novella (not sure which), has some charming attributes.  There is plenty of action, wickedly funny humor, off the wall, but rather wonderful, portrayals of the most wicked family in the Universe, and yet there is also a love story told with sensitivity and compassion.  Not the usual in fictional fare, but eminently worth the adjustments necessary to enjoy it.

 

I had read another book narrated by Ms. Angell, and wondered if I would like her rendition better with a book told, primarily from a feminine viewpoint.  It turns out that I do.  Her voice was appropriate for this book, and she can handle accents and expression deftly.

 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review via the courtesy of AudioBookBlast dot com.